Tell us a little bit on who\u2019s Angela\u00a0Mona\u00a0and Can you share the pivotal moments that led you to pursue a career in music?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019m just an Armenian girl from the farm. Becoming everything I\u2019m meant to be year after year. When I got back on my feet after surgeries and being this isolated kid, I was determined to move to LA after high school. I craved new experiences and it was one hell of a risk- definitely a big mistake afterwards but if it wasn\u2019t for everything that happened, I wouldn\u2019t have grown stronger and wiser. 2019-2020 was a bitch, and really transformed my mindset especially as a young girl in music. After being lied to, harassed, and taken advantage of by some men and women in the \u201cindustry\u201d, I chose to keep going despite being alone. Best to work and grow alone in what you love than to be involved with small minds, envious vampires, and ignorant morons.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n How has your Armenian heritage shaped your musical style and storytelling approach?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n It wasn\u2019t just Armenian music we listened to every day: Russian, Arabian, Indian, French, German, Swedish, Spanish, Italian- just all kinds of different sounds and languages. I\u2019m so grateful for that honestly cause without the cultural influences, it\u2019d be flavorless. Which artists or genres have had the most significant impact on your sound, and why?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s Armenian singers, Russian singers whom I\u2019ve listened to growing up- then there\u2019s Lady Gaga. Her 2009 VMAs performance of \u201cPaparazzi\u201d and \u201cBeautiful, Dirty, Rich\u201d music video all remain a core memory. I fell in love, and her music sparked something in me ever since. Being emotionally repressed- even sexually at times- her albums just hit me. I wanted to emulate her, but not in a weird way. Just admired her aura, presence, everything. What obstacles (if any) have you encountered as an emerging artist, and how have you overcome them?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Boy I\u2019ve been scammed, lied to, overpromised so much just to be duped at the end and nearly have my dreams crushed. Rejection after rejection- but it\u2019s normal and part of the process. How do you hope listeners connect with your music, and what emotions or messages do you aim to convey?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I just want to make people feel something. Not just look and go \u201cwow she\u2019s dope and sexy\u201d or \u201cwow she has potential\u201d, but to stop what they\u2019re doing and bask in the energy. Your Instagram bio mentions \u201cJust a maddie breaking a curse in her universe called \ud835\ude92\ud835\ude70\ud835\ude7c.\u201d Can you elaborate on the meaning behind this statement and how it relates to your music?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Coming from an immigrant family of generational trauma, why wouldn\u2019t I be mad? If you were a girl, artist, healer, muse, and just all-around multi-faceted magic- you\u2019d be mad too. Your posts often feature a distinctive visual style. How do you approach the visual aspects of your artistry, and how do they complement your music?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019ve always loved the retro aesthetics. Anything that reminds me of my childhood: frutiger aero, y2k futurism, cyber core and nostalgia core. If it ain\u2019t boring, stands out to me, and resonates with my aura then I\u2019m taking inspiration. There\u2019s so much of my favorite aesthetics and styles in the Moshi era. I\u2019m very visual, so everything must have a color scheme- including myself and my alter personas. For instance, my main theme color is orange. Anything red-orange really. Moshi is a mix of blue, turquoise, neon yellow\/green, etc. Then\u00a0Mona\u00a0is all red; literally different shades of red that describes her femininity and sensual nature. You\u2019ve referred to your followers as \u201cmaddies.\u201d What inspired this nickname, and how do you foster a sense of community among your fans?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Like I mentioned earlier, \u201cMaddies\u201d is just a fun way of describing the mad ones. I know a lot of people might take it the wrong way, and think I\u2019m vouching for the kyles and karens everywhere.
Since music was my first language, and is practically a part of me- I wanted in. I just wanted to have my own world, my own escape from people and the noise. Just listening to the music my dad would play consistently around us shaped my outlook. From the piano lessons since age 5 to writing and journaling originals since age 11, then performing on stages and talent shows a year before that- it all gives me power and lets me feel free. Like I\u2019m in control, without judgement, and I\u2019ve always loved that.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019m a descendent of genocide victims and survivors. I don\u2019t shove that in people\u2019s faces often, but my ancestral background plays a huge role within me as I create and perform. It\u2019s like paying homage to the people before me, to the women who\u2019d been praying for someone like me in the bloodline. I\u2019m rewriting everything and paving the way through education, music, art, and spirituality. Whatever I make is self-reflection- a form of healing. Just channeling my inner child and teen because she deserved better when she didn\u2019t know any better.
I really want to bring something refreshing to Armenian culture the way Cher did as she popped off in the mainstream. Not that she sings Armenian, but she\u2019s just a badass Armenian woman. We need more badass, authentic, visually-inclined Armenian people in music who are also naturally great performers. We should be done with trend chasers and generic vocalists.
Like come on, enough is enough.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/traklife.com\/music\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2025\/06\/Moshi-2-683x1024.jpg\")
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Amy Winehouse is another great influence of mine- been listening to her since I was 10.
\u201cYou Know I\u2019m No Good\u201d was the first song my mother introduced to me- got hooked and felt a churn in my stomach once I heard her voice. Something about her just clicked with me, and she remains one of the greatest for me.
There\u2019s this film that\u2019s special to me and lives in my head rent free called \u201cBurlesque\u201d, with Cher and Christina Aguilera. The moment I saw Cher on screen, my 11 year old self was shook. She\u2019s so powerful and captivating. I was enamored to see an Armenian-American woman perform and sing the way she did- something you rarely see in the states, unfortunately. I\u2019d watch that movie every time and think, \u201cI wanna do that. If Cher can do it, I can too.\u201d
There are so many faces and great minds even outside of music that I adore and respect as creatives. I\u2019m so fond of cinema and musical theatre- everything in-between. I mean:
Charlie Chaplin, Liza Minnelli, Bette Midler, Marilyn Monroe, Rita Hayworth, etc.
I could go on and on with names: Michael and Janet Jackson, Ciara, Lauryn Hill, Bee Gees, ABBA, Boney M, Donna Summer, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday\u2026so many are in my heart.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s the beauty of it all, it\u2019s training. Without the struggle, your character remains weak.
Your senses remain blocked, and you don\u2019t expand your energy. Because of everything I went through earlier, I feel wiser than ever. I can spot anything from anyone- get a feel of the room and atmosphere. If one lacks awareness and discernment, especially as a young woman, you\u2019d get chewed and spit out. My only obstacle now is money- running your own business can get expensive as hell that you\u2019re left with a couple hundreds for yourself to cover the bills.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/traklife.com\/music\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2025\/06\/Angela-and-Moshi-819x1024.jpg\")
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The energy is strong and pure- this allows one to feel a shift in themselves, wanting more afterwards. Keep them coming back for more cause it\u2019s hype and fun, not sad all the time.
Of course I love emotional moments- anything to let out the pain. Even though I carry pain, I evoke it through the music and performance. The message is there- turn it into gold. Maybe add some spice or sprinkle some glitter.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hence why I say \u2018maddie\u2019. It\u2019s like a baddie, but for the mad ones. For the girls who want to get mad after years of repression and sexism. After being traumatized and gaslit, told that being angry isn\u2019t \u201cladylike\u201d or it\u2019s \u201cdisrespectful\u201d. I love to rage when needed, I believe it\u2019s necessary and it fuels my art. It\u2019s part of healing because I was never allowed to feel angry growing up- I\u2019d get punished and condemned. That\u2019s why I became a people pleaser at some point, afraid of confrontation and conflict. When I stand up for myself and get mad, I feel more powerful. Call it a \u201cvillain era\u201d or whatever- anger should be valid and not mislabeled.
In the midst of it all, I\u2019m breaking generational curses. The first one in my family to do so, and how? Making music, performing live, being in tune with my sensuality unapologetically, self-educating, meditating, teaching and coaching the youth in music and performing arts. I\u2019m the sum of it all I suppose- and I truly believe it\u2019s more than just being the first from your family to attend college.
iAM is my world of healing- \u201cthe upbringing of a first-generation goddess\u201d as I imply sometimes to add more flare to the meaning. I wrote it all out when I was 19 and at my lowest mentally. I have characters that represent my past, present, and future: Moshi and\u00a0Mona. \u201cMonica\u201d is the inner child of my story (as it\u2019s been a family nickname of mine since birth). Even though I, Angela, am the sole creator- these people are a part of me. Regardless of their own personalities, likes and dislikes- they’re like my half. Moshi is a character I made when I was 9, so now I\u2019m building her era- the epitome of a role model. Both the villain and hero in our story, she\u2019s someone who just crashes out but navigates through different stages of her healing. It\u2019s one big character study that I hope to accomplish amazingly. You\u2019ll see more of her and the \u2018Moshi\u2019 era within our debut EP rollout!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/traklife.com\/music\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2025\/06\/Moshi-1-683x1024.jpg\")
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When I listen to music, I envision colors and rarely smell certain scents. I also see patterns and various film shots\/angles- it\u2019s like there\u2019s a movie happening in my brain, which sometimes can be difficult to elaborate. Storyboarding and making treatments help with the process. One day, when listening to “Fellas”, I smelled pink glazed doughnuts and pink bubblegum out of nowhere. Some of my new songs from the EP (that we’re still working on) have their own colors and scents too, it’s fascinating. Often I burst out with spontaneous dance moves that come with the music, so then I\u2019m able to choreograph on my own. It just has to flow, I can\u2019t overthink it. Once I do, I hit a creative block and it gets frustrating as hell. I have an entire choreo planned out for \u201cFellas\u201d that I always show off in some of my IG videos, but can you imagine the whole thing with 2-4 backup dancers? Insane.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Feeling angry, being mad about your pain is a completely different experience. It\u2019s not about causing problematic drama, or being an ignorant nuisance- it\u2019s just breaking free from the false expectations and standards that were put upon us growing up.
I mean, you see all the posts and videos about women rage- that\u2019s literally it. If we\u2019re gonna heal- let it be mad, bad, and fabulous.
On another note, I love calling my supporters the \u201cair conditioners\u201d sometimes. Fans can come off as stalkers and lurkers sometimes, hell even haters. Whereas air conditioners are the real ones- they\u2019re not creepy and badly weird. Either way, I genuinely appreciate and respect each and every one who are part of the universe and this journey \u2764\ufe0f\ud83c\udf5c<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/traklife.com\/music\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/22\/2025\/06\/Unknown-819x1024.jpeg\")
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Angela Mona isn\u2019t just creating music\u2014she\u2019s building an entire universe rooted in truth, defiance, and transformation. From her Armenian roots to her vivid alter egos and unapologetic storytelling, she\u2019s rewriting narratives and challenging norms with every lyric, look, and live moment. As she prepares to introduce the world to her \u201cMoshi era\u201d and debut EP, one thing is clear: Angela isn\u2019t here to fit in\u2014she\u2019s here to ignite, inspire, and break every curse in her path. And if you\u2019re lucky enough to be part of her world, consider yourself officially air-conditioned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n